© 2014 by Pearson Higher Education, IncUpper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved

Chapter 4Policing:

Purpose and Organization

Scott Moller, JD

Introduction to Administration of Justice

© 2014 by Pearson Higher Education, IncUpper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

Summarize the typical organizational structure of a police department.

Describe the three major levels of public law enforcement in the United States today.

Explain the police mission in democratic societies.

Summarize the historical development of US policing, and describe the characteristics of each

stage.

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4.5Describe community policing, and explain how it

differs from traditional forms of policing.

4.6

4.7

Explain evidence-based policing, and demonstrate the potential it holds in the area of police

management.

Explain how police discretion affects law enforcement.

Learning ObjectivesAfter this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

4.1 Explain the police mission in democratic societies.

“The basic mission for which the police exist is to

reduce crime and disorder.” Sir Robert Peel,

1822

Principles of Policing – Sir Robert Peel4.1

POLICING IN A DEMOCRACYCompare:1. Nazi video (5:20)2. Questioning police

video (2:09)

1. Police/public interdependence

2. Police duty to prevent crime & disorder, not detect crime

3. Police power depends on earning approval & respect of willing public

4. Police to demonstrate absolute impartial service to law

5. Police to maintain tradition that police are the public, public are the police

6. Test of efficiency is absence of crime & disorder, not evidence of police efforts

The Police Mission4.1

Preserving the Peace

PreventingCrime

Apprehending

Offenders

Enforcing the Law

Providing Services

Enforcing the Law, Apprehending Offenders

6

• Enforcing the law– Not the only job of the police; majority of time is

spent answering nonemergency public service calls

– Only about 10% to 20% of all calls involve situations that actually require a law enforcement response/arrest

– Police cannot enforce all laws– Police tend to tailor enforcement efforts to meet the

concerns of the populace they serve

4.1

• Apprehending offenders– Many offenders are only caught as the result of

extensive police work involving investigation– Timothy McVeigh captured within 90 minutes of

Oklahoma City bombing, via traffic stop, FBI profiler, communication between police agencies

Preventing Crime

7

• Preventing crime– Anticipating, recognizing, and appraising a crime risk

and acting to eliminate or reduce it– Techniques and programs

• Techniques include access control, surveillance, theft-deterrent devices, CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design)

– Prevention programs are organized efforts that focus resources on reducing a specific form of criminal threat• Target school-based crime, gang activity, drug

abuse, violence, domestic abuse• Neighborhood Watch, Crime Stoppers USA

4.1

Predicting Crime

8

CompStat – A crime-analysis and police-management process built on crime-mapping that was developed by the NYPD in the mid-1990s

1. 911 calls and officer reports are collected and analyzed2. This information is then mapped3. The resulting map sequences, generated over time,

reveal the time and place of crime patterns and identify hot spots of ongoing criminal activity

LAPD CompStat video (4:55)Chicago citywide crime statsMonterey Area Crime Rates

CrimeStat – Provides statistical tools for crime-mapping

4.1

Preserving the Peace

9

• Preserving the peace– Fighting crime by combating quality-of-life

offenses• Minor offenses that demoralize communities,

create physical disorder or reflect social decay– Restore a sense of order, reduce the fear of crime,

and lessen the number of serious crimes that occur– Broken windows model of policing

4.1

• Study: Researchers abandoned cars:1. in the Bronx – stripped

within 24 hours) 2. in Palo Alto – left

untouched for over a week – until it was damaged, signaling lack of accountability; then vandals descended on it.

Providing Services

10

• Providing services– Calls received by 911 operators are prioritized and

then relayed to patrol officers, specialized field units, or other emergency personnel

– Crimereports.com – enter a location and see a current crime map

4.1

Learning ObjectivesAfter this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

4.2Describe the three major levels of public law enforcement in the United States today: Federal, State and Local

Federal Agencies4.2

1212

The federal government employs 137,929 agents authorized to conduct criminal investigations, execute search warrants, arrest, or carry firearms

See Table 4-1, p. 97 of your text for an extensive list.

Federal Bureau of Investigation4.2

13

– The FBI began in 1908 as the Bureau of Investigation. FBI history

– 13,000 special agents assigned to 56 field offices and 400 satellite offices, plus legats – attaché offices in major cities around the world

– Since 9/11, counterterrorism is top priority at the FBI– Operates the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), a

forensic database of DNA profiles of offenders– Provides free crime lab services, training for law enforcementFBI career paths:

• Special Agent• Professional Staff

State Law Enforcement Agencies4.2Most state agencies were created to meet specific needs, e.g., the Texas Rangers were formed in 1835 to patrol the borders of Texas (not yet a state) and apprehend Mexican cattle rustlers.

Current state law enforcement agencies tend to fall into the categories shown below:

• Alcohol law enforcement• Fish and wildlife• Highway patrol• Port authorities• State bureaus of investigation• State park services• State police• State university police• Weigh station operations

California State Agencies4.2

15

Office of the Attorney GeneralCalifornia Department of Justice

California Bureau of Firearms - Special AgentsCalifornia Bureau of Forensic ServicesCalifornia Bureau of Gambling Control - Special AgentsBureau of Investigation - Special AgentsCalifornia Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud & Elder Abuse - Special AgentsCalifornia Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation

California Office of Correctional Safety - State Fugitive Apprehension Teams & Special Service UnitCalifornia Department of State HospitalsCalifornia State Hospital Police OfficersCalifornia Department of Fish and Game, Game WardensCalifornia Highway PatrolCalifornia State Parks, California State Park RangersCalifornia Department of Alcoholic Beverage ControlDepartment of InsuranceCalifornia Department of Motor VehiclesFranchise Tax BoardCalifornia Lottery Security and Law Enforcement DivisionCalifornia Department of Consumer Affairs, Division of InvestigationCalifornia Department of Forestry and Fire ProtectionCalifornia Department of Health Care Services

State Police Agencies: Centralized

16

4.2State Agencies: Centralized Model• The tasks of major criminal

investigations are combined with state highway patrol

• Centralized state police agencies generally:– Patrol state highways– Assist local law enforcement in

investigations when asked– Operate a centralized identification

bureau, criminal records repository– Provide training for local police– Used in DE, MI, NJ, NY, PN, VT

State Police Agencies: Decentralized

17

4.2State Agencies: Decentralized Model• Draws clear distinction between

traffic enforcement on state highways and other state level law enforcement functions by creating at least two separate agencies– Usually have a number of other

adjunct state-level law enforcement agencies

– Separate state agencies for:– Highway patrol– State bureau of investigation– Sometimes additional– Used in GA, NC, SC

18

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40,000

35,000

30,000

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

Local Police Agencies4.2

While most local agencies employ less than 10 full-time officers, major city police departments have a dominant presence in law enforcement.

Local police agencies include:• Campus police• City/county

agencies• Constables

• Coroners/medical examiners

• Housing authority• Marine patrol• Municipal police

departments

• Sheriff’s departments

• Tribal police

Fusion Centers: JTTF, RTTF4.2

19

Fusion Centers – a new concept in policing• Multiagency law enforcement facility designed to

enhance cooperative efforts through a coordinated process for collecting, sharing, and analyzing information in order to develop actionable intelligence

• Some fusion centers focus on specific issues, e.g.:• National Counterterrorism Center• National Gang Intelligence Center

Private Protective Services

20

4.2Private Protective Services- Independent or proprietary commercial organizations that provide protective services to employers on a contractual basis

(

Table 4-4)

International Police Agencies

21

4.2International Police Agencies• International Criminal Police Organization

(Interpol)– International law enforcement organization

that began operations in 1946– 182 member nations today– No power to arrest, search/seize• European Police Office (Europol)– Integrated police intelligence-gathering and

information dissemination arm of the member nations of the European Union

– Maastricht Treaty, 1992– Started limited operation in 1994– Works with Interpol on international terrorism, drug

trafficking, and human trafficking

Learning ObjectivesAfter this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

4.3Summarize the typical organizational structure of a police department.

Gangs

Drug Education

Child Abuse

Domestic Violence

Victims’ Services

Criminal Investigation

(Detective Services)

Crime Prevention

Patrol Division(First Responders)

Specialty Support ServicesSupport Services

Bomb Squad

Air Patrol Unit

Reserve Police(Volunteers)

Police Training Academy

Narcotics/Vice

Juveniles

Major Crimes(Homicide, Burglary, Assault,

Arson, Fraud)

Typical Organizational Structure of a Police Department

City Council, Mayor, or Police Commission

Chief of Police

Deputy Chief

23Sheriff Structure p. 109 Text

Police Administration: Command Structure4.3Police management – The administrative activities of controlling, directing, and coordinating police personnel, resources, and activities

Police Administration

24

4.3• Line operations: Field or supervisory activities directly

related to daily police work, e.g., officers on the street• Staff operations: Provide support for line operations,

e.g., administrative office staff• Most police agencies have both line and staff

operations, but some tiny departments have only line operations.

• Police departments employ a quasi-military chain of command (line of authority that extends through all levels of an organization, from the highest to the lowest)

• Unity of command – every person has only one supervisor to whom s/he reports

• Span of control – number of personnel or units supervised by a particular commander

Learning ObjectivesAfter this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

4.4

Summarize the historical development of policing in America, and describe the characteristics of each stage.

Builds on relationship

with community to gather actionable

intelligence fight

terrorism

Agencies share

information, joint efforts

Common in policing today

Stresses police

service role and a

partnership between

police and communitie

sQuality of

life offenses

Pride in professional

crime-fighting, led by August

Vollmer

Focused most

resources on solving

“traditional” crimes

Historical Developments in US Policing4.4The

ILP/Homeland

Security Era

2001-Today

The Community Policing

Era

1970s-Today

The Reform

Era

1930-1970s

The Political

Era

1840s-1930

Close ties between

police and public

officials

Police tended to maintain

order, serve the

interests of powerful

politicians

27

Styles of Modern Policing

Service• Focus on

meeting community needs

• More likely to refer citizens to community resources

• Officers see themselves more as helpers than soldiers in a war on crime

• Common today

Legalistic• Enforce the

letter of the law

• Avoid disputes that arise from violations of social norms but don’t break the law, behaviors that are simply bothersome

• Characteristic of the Reform Era

Watchman• Primary concern

is order maintenance

• Control illegal and disruptive behavior

• Considerable use of discretion

• Common in lower class areas

• Characteristic of the Political Era

4.4

Learning ObjectivesAfter this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

4.5Describe community policing, and explain how it differs from traditional forms of policing.

Transition to Community Policing

29

4.5

• Police Community Relations (PCR) – Reaction to poor public/police relations stemming from 1960s altercations, departments assigned public relations officers to increase positive police/citizen interaction: storefronts, Neighborhood Watch, Operation ID. Sometimes just PR.

• Team policing – 1960s-70s experiment, extending PCR and reorganizing conventional patrol strategies into “an integrated and versatile police team assigned to a fixed district,” with officers given considerable authority in processing complaints, from receipt through resolution, to deliver total police services to a neighborhood

• Further extension of this idea led to community policing…

PCR Team Policing

Community Policing

com·mun·i·ty po·lic·ing nPhilosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships & problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.

Community Policing has three key components:1. Community Partnerships – between the police, citizens, agencies, community groups, businesses & the media2. Organizational Transformation – including despecialization & geographic assignment of officers3. Problem-Solving – proactive, systematic examination of identified problems to develop & rigorously evaluate effective responses

Community Policing4.5

Community Policing

31

4.5• Community policing involves at least one of four elements:

1. Community-based crime prevention2. Reorientation of patrol activities to emphasize the

importance of nonemergency services3. Increased police accountability to the public4. Decentralization of command, including greater use of

civilians at all levels of police decision-making

• Community Policing Act of 1994 provided funds to:– Substantially increase the # of officers interacting with the

public– Provide additional training to enhance problem-solving skills– Encourage innovative programs to permit community members

to assist law enforcement– Encourage new technologies to assist law enforcement in

preventing crime– Create Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)

Strategic Policing

Problem-SolvingPolicing

CommunityPolicing

Policing Strategies

32

4.5• Strategic policing – Reform era crime-fighting that uses

innovative enforcement techniques to address broader array of crimes, e.g., gangs, drug networks, white collar/tech crimes.

• Problem-solving policing – Service style policing that seeks to change social conditions and fight crime through use of community resources, attempts to involve citizens in crime prevention through education, negotiation, and conflict management• Community policing – A philosophy that promotes organizational strategies which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques. Seeks to actively involve the community in crime control; a two-way street that goes beyond strategic policing and problem-solving policing

Police-Community Relations

33

4.5• Critiques of community policing

– Difficult to determine effectiveness– Some police unwilling to accept non-traditional

images of police work; efforts to promote community policing can demoralize the department

– Some public officials unwilling to accept community policing that may conflict with performance criteria (e.g., arrests) – NY Mayor Giuliani – “too much social work…too few arrests”

– Some citizens object to increased police interference

– Define community. Each department has a limited geographical jurisdiction, but “community” is built around common interests, which may not coincide, especially with mass transit/communications/media.

Learning ObjectivesAfter this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

4.6Explain evidence-based policing, and demonstrate the potential that it holds in the area of police management.

Evidence-Based Policing4.6• Law Enforcement Assistance Administration

(LEAA) – A now-defunct federal agency that funded state and local law enforcement agencies from 1969 to 1982

• Established a tradition of program evaluation within police-management circles

• Scientific police management – Applying social science techniques to police administration to increase effectiveness, reduce citizen complaints, and enhance efficient use of resources. See NIJ, BJS, NCJRS

• Evidence-based policing (EBP) uses research on everyday police procedures, outcomes of police work, to set guidelines and evaluate agencies, units, and officers.

• This is a major determinant of funding; successful law enforcement executives will have to use research in their everyday work. See New Perspectives in Policing

Evidence-Based Policing4.6The Kansas City Experiment

• The first large-scale scientific study of police practices

• Focused on preventive squad patrol

• Divided city patrol zones into:

1. Proactive: twice the patrols

2. Reactive: no patrols

3. Control: same patrols

• No significant differences in crime rate or citizen fear of crime. Conventional wisdom appears to be unfounded.

• Directed patrol – A police-management strategy designed to put the most officers on the street where and when crime is most prevalent

Learning ObjectivesAfter this lecture, you should be able to complete the following Learning Outcomes

4.7Explain how police discretion affects contemporary law enforcement.

Discretion and the Individual Officer4.7Officers at the street level have extremely broad discretion over what laws to enforce, how, against whom, and on which occasions; they often decide to handle matters informally, rather than strictly enforce the law.

Officer discretion may be affected by:• Officer’s beliefs, background, personal lifestyle

choices• Victim attitude: complaint made? Pressure to

charge? Non-compliant?• Community interests and priorities• Subject’s attitude, gender, appearance• Department policy• Law involved: “victimless,” outdated?• Available alternatives, e.g., treatment programs,

alternative dispute resolution centers

© 2014 by Pearson Higher Education, IncUpper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458 • All Rights Reserved

4.1

4.2

4.3

4.4

Most police departments are organized in a paramilitary fashion.

The three major law enforcement levels are federal, state, and local.

The police mission is to maintain peace and enforce the law.

Four historical policing epochs are identified in this chapter: (1) the political era, (2) the reform era, (3) the community

policing era, and (4) the new era

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Police discretion refers to the opportunity for police officers to exercise choice in their enforcement activities.

Evidence-based policing involves the application of social science techniques to study police administration.

4.5

Community policing encourages police to work with interest-holders to identify and solve issues in the

community.

4.6

4.7